Yoga Mats Aren’t Just for Yoga Anymore!

The features of Yoga mats such as great their cushioning effect and the texturing that prevents skidding, are exactly what makes them perfect for Yoga, Pilates, and any exercise routine where you have to sit or lay on the floor. They protect your body from the hard floor and keep you from slipping and sliding around.

It is these outstanding features that make Yoga mats perfect for countless other things - things that you may have never thought of. You can recycle your old mats in dozens of ways. But as you read through the following clever ideas for using your old mat, you may want to consider this. Many of the Yoga mats from Sunshine Yoga are so cheap that there is no reason to use an old mat for some of these projects. A single 1/8” thick mat is only $12.99 and if you come up with a fun project that could use multiple mats, you can get a dozen at wholesale, for only $8.49 each.

Here are some practical and fun things you can do around the house that take advantage of a wonderfully sticky and cushioned Yoga mat.

1. You know how area rugs, hall runners, and even small kitchen or doormats can slip on hardwood or tile floors. Products called rug grips are available to put under your rugs and mats, but they can cost anywhere from $15 to $115. An old Yoga mat can be cut into any size and placed under your rugs. This will even provide your feet with a little extra cushioning when you walk across or stand on that rug.

2. Similar material to what rug grips are made of is also often used as shelf liners. Cutting Yoga mats to size to fit your kitchen shelves makes a great non-skid surface for your dishes and glassware. You can even use them as drawer liners for your flatware and utensils. You may want to use a new mat for these purposes!

3. A small square of Yoga mat makes a perfect grip pad for opening jar.

4. If you have hardwood or tile floors, you know how your couch and chairs can slip each time you sit down or stand up. Cut pieces of Yoga mat that fit the feet of your couch and chairs and no more slipping!

5. Use a piece of mat cut to size as a placemat for your dog or cat dishes. The bowls won’t scoot as your pets eat and the mat is washable.

6. The material of a Yoga mat is great protections between your houseplants and your carpets and floors. These “pot pads” will keep the larger pots from marring your floor or carpet and while protecting from water stains.

7. Yoga mats make great protection for breakable items if packing them for storage or a move. Use pieces of the mat between layers and wrap glassware in small pieces of matting.

8. Put a square of a Yoga mat outside kitty’s litter box. Litter stays on the mat and doesn’t get tracked through your house.

9. Roll up small sections of mat and use them as breeze blockers in front of drafty doorjambs or leaky windows.

10. Maybe you have an amateur musician in your family and your garage has become a music studio for a garage band. You can hang several mats up on the walls for a colorful and effective soundproofing.

11. How about using a Yoga mat in front of a work area where you spend a lot of time on your feet. This can include anything from a workbench to the kitchen sink. The cushioning of a Yoga mat protects your feet and your back from fatigue.

12. Throw down Yoga mats in front of doors and other areas that may be experiencing high traffic, for instance the traipsing in and out and the dirty shoes of workmen or even the kids.

These are just a handful of ideas for using Yoga mats, used or new. There is an amazing number of uses for them, including fun and practical outdoor uses, and innumerable things for the kids.

If you decide you have a lot of uses for Yoga mats, you might even consider one of Sunshine Yoga’s Yoga mat rolls. A roll of the 1/8” thick matting is $127.99 and is 104 feet long. That’s enough for eighteen 68-inch Yoga mats and more than enough for any household or outdoor project imaginable. You can share the cost and the roll with friends who might have your enthusiasm for taking advantage of the practicality of Yoga mats.